A New Friend (Chapter 2)

“Deku-kun, I still don’t get it,” Ochako said, breaking the silence. Her voice was a soft gasp, still shaky from adrenaline. “That ‘Release All’ trick. How did you know? Even I didn’t know I could do that!”

Izuku scratched the back of his neck, his fingers restless against his messy hair. “I don’t know, Uraraka. I swear I don’t.” His eyes flicked to her, then to the ground, then back to her, caught in a nervous loop. “It was like… like someone downloaded a manual into my head. Your Quirk, its limits, its tricks. It was all there, clear as day. But it’s never happened before. Never!”

Ochako tilted her head, her cheeks still flushed from exertion. “What if it wasn’t an accident?” she asked, leaning toward him, her enthusiasm bubbling despite her fatigue. “Think about it! Your Quirk isn’t just for dogs and cats. Maybe it’s for people! For heroes! That would be…” She swept her arms wide, as if embracing the sky. “Super awesome!”

Izuku flinched, his shoulders hunching as if he wanted to shrink into himself. “No, no, no, don’t say that so loud.” He lowered his voice, glancing quickly at the other aspirants limping or chatting nearby. “What if it was just a fluke? Or a stress-induced hallucination? If I tell someone and it doesn’t happen again, I’ll look like an idiot. Again.” He swallowed hard, his fingers tightening on his knees. “The useless Deku who makes up powers for attention.”

Ochako frowned, her expression shifting from excitement to something softer, firmer. She leaned closer, ignoring the twinge in her bandaged leg. “Hey, look at me.” She waited until Izuku’s green eyes, full of doubt, met hers. “You’re not an idiot. And you’re not useless. What we did out there…” She pointed at the smoldering wreckage of the giant robot in the distance. “That wasn’t luck. It was you. You gave me the idea. You pushed me. And it worked!”

Izuku blinked, his breath hitching. The way she looked at him, with that mix of admiration and trust, felt like a punch that didn’t hurt. “You… really believe that?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

“Of course I do!” Ochako slapped the curb with her palm, making a dull thud. “You’re a genius, Deku-kun! And if that manual in your head is real, then… we’ll figure it out together!” She grinned, her smile so bright it seemed to light up the dust around them. “How about we train? You analyze, I float stuff. We’ll be an unstoppable team!”

Izuku felt something warm spread in his chest, as if the panic from minutes ago was melting under that smile. But then, his traitorous eyes slid downward for just a second, caught by the curve of her school uniform. Greatness, he thought, and his brain, true to its new philosophy, made the inevitable connection: Big Breasts, Big Heart.

He realized what he was doing and snapped upright, his cheeks burning. “N-no, it’s not what you think!” he stammered, waving his hands as if he could erase the evidence. “It’s just… I have a theory! A scientific theory!”

Ochako raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms, though a giggle escaped her. “A theory? About what?” Her tone was curious, but there was a hint of amusement, as if she knew this was going to be good.

Izuku swallowed, trapped. No turning back. “It’s… an observation.” He cleared his throat, sitting up straight as if giving a lecture. “See, I’ve noticed a pattern. Heroines with… uh… prominent attributes…” He gestured vaguely at his own chest, wishing the ground would swallow him. “They tend to have great capacity for empathy. A big heart. It’s pure logic. Like Mt. Lady! Strong, confident, and… good people! And you…” He pointed at Ochako, his finger trembling slightly. “You fit perfectly! You saved the day, trusted me, and you’ve got a huge heart! It’s math!”

The silence that followed was deafening. Ochako stared at him, eyes wide, mouth slightly agape. Then she burst into laughter, so loud she had to clutch her stomach. “Deku-kun!” she gasped between laughs, wiping a tear. “That’s the most ridiculous and adorable thing I’ve ever heard! Math? Seriously?”

Izuku sank into the curb, covering his face with his hands. “Please, forget it. Forget I said anything. I’m going to dig a hole and live there forever.”

“No, no, no!” Ochako grabbed his arm, still laughing, but her touch was warm, friendly. “I love it! It’s… unique. And, hey, if your theory says I have a big heart, I’m in.” She winked, her smile mischievous. “But you’ll have to explain that ‘math’ in detail someday.”

Izuku looked up, his embarrassment fading under the warmth of her expression. “Deal,” he said, a shy smile creeping onto his face. “But only if you promise not to tell anyone. I’ve got enough going on as the kid who almost died under a robot.”

“Secret’s safe,” Ochako promised, miming locking her lips with an invisible padlock. “Now, how about we celebrate surviving? Ice cream! My treat! Well… when I can walk without limping.”

Izuku laughed, the sound light and genuine. As the sun rose over the wreckage, he felt something new beginning. Not just a strange power in his head, but something more tangible: a friend. One who, by his impeccable logic, was already a heroine in every sense.